Chapter 6
'Why' Answered

When the hearing reconvened later that day, Mendez stated on the record that the mystery of the missing shuttlecraft was not relevant to the present proceedings, and the mystery ought not to delay the proceedings further.

"By this time, the Enterprise will have reached the Talos system," he said gravely, and we expect to learn within the hour whether the Enterprise has entered orbit around Talos IV. Further, it was the apparent intent of Captain Kirk and his first officer to take Captain Pike to Talos IV, so that Captain Pike could spend the rest of his natural life living out his past fantasies, for the amusement of the Talosians. In view of the images that we have seen thus far—that Captain Pike was adamantly opposed to efforts of the Talosians, and that he actively resisted their efforts to communicate with him telepathically, and that he deliberately sought to escape from captivity—I cannot comprehend why Captain Pike would voluntarily agree to spend the rest of his days entertaining the Talosians."

"Commodore," Kirk said, "the remaining images will explain. As you will recall, the most recent images showed Captain Pike, along with his first officer and yeoman, taking the Talosian Keeper as hostage and trying to reach the surface."

Mendez ordered that the monitor screen be reactivated.

As the tribunal watched, the conclusion to the tale played out.

After Pike and his party reached the surface, the Keeper revealed that their escape had merely been another illusion. Pike then offered a compromise to the Talosians. "Look, I'll make a deal with you," Pike said. "You and your life for the lives of these two Earth women." Pike demanded that the Talosians supply proof that the Enterprise was all right, and and that Pike's first officer and yeoman would be returned to the Enterprise. If the Keeper would agree to these demands, Pike declared that he would stay on Talos IV, with Vina.

Pike's first officer was unwilling to be a party to that deal. She promptly set set her weapon to overload, which would in a matter of seconds explode, killing everyone in the vicinity. "It's wrong to create a whole race of humans to live as slaves," she said simply.

The Keeper had been plainly caught off guard by this action, and wondered aloud whether it might be a bluff.

Presently it became clear that the threat of self-destruction was not a bluff. Pike told Vina and the Keeper to seek shelter from the blast that was seconds away from occurring, but Vina announced that she would not seek shelter, but would suffer the same fate as the people from the Enterprise. The Keeper seemed to be stunned by this development, but made no effort to flee.

At this point, two other Talosians appeared, but the purpose of their appearance was uncertain. Suspecting that it might be possible to negotiate a release after all, Pike directed his first officer to abort the overload, at least for the moment.

The other Talosians then conferred telepathically with the Keeper, ostensibly to supply the Keeper with historical information about Earth's past. This information visibly rattled the Keeper.

The history of the Human species, as the Talosians understood it, showed "a unique hatred of captivity." The Keeper observed that even captivity that is "pleasant and benevolent" is anathema to Humans. The Keeper concluded that Humans, although representing the most promising subjects for study, were simply too violent and dangerous as a species for their purposes.

And with that, the Keeper allowed Pike and his party to depart.

Pike quite clearly was suspicious of the Talosians' abrupt change of heart, and he listened with skepticism to the Talosians' laments, that the unsuitability of Humans had, for all practical purposes, condemned the Talosians to death. "No other specimen has shown your adaptability," the Keeper explained. "You were our last hope."

Until that moment, Pike had not realized that his capture had been intended by the Talosians, not as a form of entertainment, but as an attempt to save the Talosian species from extinction. Ever the diplomat, Pike asked whether it was possible for both Humans and Talosians to survive and thrive. He wondered whether some sort of trade could be arranged, or whether some form of mutual cooperation might be acceptable to all concerned.

With unmistakable sadness, the Keeper explained that it was now quite clear that too much contact between Talosians and Humans would simply make things worse. Humans would, in time, learn the Talosians' power of illusion, and would (if Human history were any indication) use that power to destroy itself.

And with that, the Talosians allowed Pike and his people to contact the Enterprise.

"Let's get back to the ship," Pike ordered.

Pike looked to Vina. She shook her head, saying, "I can't go with you."

Pike seemed momentarily stunned. After all they had been through, it was the last thing he expected her to say.

Before Pike could ask why Vina was choosing to stay, Pike's yeoman abruptly transported back to the Enterprise. Pike's first officer dematerialized a few seconds later, leaving Pike and Vina behind with the Talosians. Pike initially felt a twinge of betrayal, but he quickly realized that there was an explanation to be offered to him, and this explanation was for him alone.

Pike learned why Vina would stay on Talos IV.

Vina revealed that she was indeed aboard the Columbia, when the Columbia crashed on Talos IV. She was injured in the crash, and although the Talosians had kept her alive, she had been deformed by their efforts. As Pike watched in horror, the Talosians removed Vina's illusion of beauty.

Vina, in her true form, was horribly scarred, and the deformities throughout her body made it difficult for her to move. Pike had "seen" Vina run, jump, fight, dance... but that had all been an illusion as well. In her true form, she could barely walk.

"It was necessary to convince you," the Keeper explained, "that her desire to stay is an honest one."

Pike insisted that the Talosians give back Vina's illusion of beauty. The Talosians promptly did so, and the illusory functionality of her body was restored as well.

Moments later, Pike transported back to the Enterprise. He explained that Vina had made the decision not to depart Talos IV. Pike thought the decision was rational, saying "I agreed with her reasons."

The images showed the Enterprise warping out of orbit of Talos IV, and there the images ended.

Commander Ramkumar spoke first. Addressing Mendez, Ramkumar said simply: "In the interests of justice."

"I concur," Chang said. "The interests of justice are paramount. Captain Pike has earned the right to make the decision himself."

Mendez took a deep breath. "I concur as well." Mendez then touched a communication control. "Mendez to Piper."

"Piper here, Commodore," Piper's voice answered at once.

"Transmit the following message to Enterprise: 'Received images from Talos IV. In view of historic importance of Captain Pike in space exploration, General Order 7 prohibiting contact Talos IV is suspended this occasion. No action contemplated...'" Mendez hesitated, then finished his sentence: "'... against Spock."

Mendez stole a look at Kirk. Kirk listened calmly.

Mendez continued: "'Proceed as you think best.' Miss Piper, put an official signature on that message and transmit it immediately, priority one, and demand that the Enterprise acknowledge."

"Aye, Commodore."

Mendez turned to Kirk. "You may have noticed, Captain Kirk, that no action will be taken against your first officer."

"I did take note," Kirk replied with a sly grin, "that you did not say anything about whether action would be taken against me."

"I didn't think that would be necessary, Captain Kirk, since it is my belief and understanding that you are not really here at all, and that you haven't been a guest of Starbase 11 ever since that shuttle went missing. The real Captain Kirk is aboard the Enterprise as we speak, isn't he? And you are just a false face, nothing more that an illusion, am I right? And am I also right that there is an illusion, or imposter, of me aboard Enterprise?"

Kirk smiled pleasantly, and promptly vanished. It was as though he had never been there.